Vulcanizing method and apparatus



Patented `inne 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES D. TEW, OF HUDSON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

VULCANIZING METHOD AND APPARATUS.

Application filed June 25, 1926. Serial No. 118,445.

nis invention relates to apparatus tor treating` articles With a liquid under pressure, as in vulcanining rubber articles under Water.

n using water' as a vulcanizing medium economy oi heat may be eliected by maintaining the water at an cle vatedtemperature, above the normal boiling point, betiveen vulcani/'jing operations, as distinguished from permitting the water to bloiv down to atmospheric pressure and. the normal boiling temperature toi' the removal ot vulcanized articles and the iiitroductioii oit articles to be vulcanized, and one ot my chief objects is to provide improved procedure and appa atus adapted tor maintaining the Water under super-atmospheric pressure While articles to be vulcanized are submerged in and removed from the Water.

A more speciiic object is to provide appa atus of this cha acter in which the Water may remain in the same container both during and between the vulcanizing periods oi'- successive batches ot the articles.

Another object is to provide procedure and apparatus wherein the vulcanizing may be periormed as a continuous process, in the sense that articles are introduced to the vulcanizing medium and removed therefrom at intervals oi time less than the vulcaiiizing period and a comparatively large number oi the articles are at all times ii'i'process of vulcanization.

Another object is to provide for quick submergence of the articles in the vulcanizing medium, so that the articles oi' a given batch may be submerged at approximately the same time, to avoid uneven vulcanization oi the several articles in the batch.

A further object is to provide tor so passing the batch of articles into and out ot the liquid that the first articles of the batch to pass into the liquid are also the lirst to be removed therefrom, in order to obtain uniformity oi vulcanization.

in accomplishing these objects I provide apparatus comprising a liquid-containing chamber in which the liquid may remain While successive batches ot the articles to be vulcanizedor otherwise treated are submerged in and removed `from the liquid, and provide a pressure-fluid lockll or locks whereby the batches ot the articles in succession may be introduced into the chamber, submerged in the liquid andthen removed ,therefrom and from the chamber While the liquid is continuously maintained under superatii'iospheric pressure, as in the case oi' Water atl a temperature higher than the normal boiling temperature and permissibly, as is preferable in some instances, at a pressure greater than that due to its temperature.

Ot the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation oi apparatus einbodying and adapted to carry out my invention in its preferred form, parts being broken away li'or clearness and to foreshorten the iigure.

Fig. 2 is a sect-ion of the same on line 2-2 otFig. i.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section ot a work-supporting car constitutingr a part ot' the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a vulcanizing tank or chamber having Within it a turret 1l which comprises a pair of end rings, such as the end ring 1.2, `connected by a circumferential series of pairs ot tlanged car-rails 13, 13 set into the outer peripheries ot the rings, cachot the rings being journaled at its inner periphery upon `a circumferential series ot iianged roll ers, such astlie rollers lll, 1li, journaled upon bars 15, 15 which preferably extend the length of, and are secured in the end Walls of the chamber l0, to serve as tie-rods ior the said end Walls as Well as journals t'or the rollers 14.

The rollers lil ot at least one oi the sets are ot ivaisted form soas to accommodate an internal gear ring 16 mounted in one of the end rings 12. Meshed with the said gear ring is a pinion `17 secured upon a drive shat't i8 extending through the end Walls of the chamber 10 and provided with suitable means (not shown) for rotating it and for thus driving the turret 11.

Supported upon cradles 19, 2O` suspended from certain of the `iournal or tie rods 15 is a steam coil 21 having inlet and outlet pipes 22, 23 respectively extending through the end Walls of the chamber, Fig. 1, for keeping at vulcanizing temperature a body of Water 24 contained in the chamber. A pipe 25 (Fig. l) for conducting Water or other iiuid into or out ot the tank communicates with the loWermost part of the tank and is provided with a stop valve 26.

For conducting fluid such as compressed air into the tank to maintain the Water 24 at a desired pressure therein a pipe 27 (Fig.

2*) leads into' the top of tlieftank., Sealed to and projecting frein each end of the tank l at its top is a tube, one ofV the saine being designated 28and the other 29 'in Fig. 1,

each of these tubes being adapted to serve as an vair or` gas lock, being provided near its end adjacent the tank with a gate valve device 30 and at its outer end withV a gatev valve 31 hinged at 32 to close against Ya plate v33 constituting a halt` bearingior Aa screw shaft 34 which is journaled in partial end closures off the tubes 28, 29.l Each ,of the saidvparital end closures is formed' by the.

plate 33 and th'efadjacent portion-34a of an n end lfitting 35 mounted upon the tube.` -The screw shaft 34 extends entirely through the tubes and the" tank'lO,lv the thread being omitted atgthe positionsV Where lthe shaft passes through the bearing'structures justv described.Y s The endportions ot the screw shaft 34, outside ot the tubes 28,29, extend respectively over a receiving table 36 and a latches 44, 44 being provided for liolding'tlie door in closed position. Theshell is .formed with `holes 45, `45 to permit circulation of fluid therethrough When the car iswvithin "thevulcanizing tank 10. The car is provided With Wheels 46, 46 adapted to run lipona `pair of rails such as the rails 47', 47 mounted upon the tables 36, 37 in alignment With-the respective tubes 28, 29., and the car is provided with keepers 48, 48 adapted to take under the rails 13 of the turret 11When the car is run into the vulcanizing tank 10,

` tofsupportthe car in position upon the periphery of the turret When the latter is ron tatedy andlthe car consequently inverted in the vulcanizing tank. Removable rails such as the rail shown in dotted'lines at 49. (Fig. 1) are adapted to be mounted in the tube 28 or 29 andto iit intoslots such asare shown at 50, 50 in the tops of the'adjacent legs of 'the table 36 or 37 to support the cars as they are run from the table 36 through the tube 28 .into thevulcanizing tank 10 orV frointhe latter through the tube 29 onto the table 37.

Mounted on the top of the shell V4170i each car v40 is ascrevv block y51 formed with segmental Vthreadsadapted to Vmesh with the 'threadof the screw shaft 34 sothat rotation of( the :latter will impel the car from the f table 36 into the vulcanizing tankl() and onto the turret 11, and, subsequently, `from the turret 11 and tank 10 through the tube 29,

' onto the rails 47 ofthe kdeliverytable 37.p Y

For receivingr inner tube mandrels 52, 52`

Within the shell-41 of the car and for supporting the mandrels With .tubes 53, 53 thereon out otcontact with each other, eachshell' 41 has. journaled lin its vend vv'a-lls'a central shaft54 upon `which is secured Within each endv portion of the lshell a spider 55 formed at Vits periphery with a circumferential^se-v .ries of notches .56, 56, Fig. 3, the said notches being adapted to receive respective end portions of the mandrels 52 as the latter' lare V-mounted in` the shell byg passing them through kthe opening of fthe door 42. VThe yshaft 54 is provided outside .ot the shell with ahand wheelv 57 for rotating thesha-'l'tto vbring successivepairs of the notches-56sil-` 'jacent theopeningfot the door 42 for thereception of the .successive mandrels, and `for f retaining the inandrels within the notches-.56 f

as-the spiders 5.5 are rotated a plate. suchas the plateV 581s secured tothe inner iace oit rupted by ay notch .shown Vat 6,0L (Fig. 2), to permit thepassage of the inai'idrels Vinto the notches 56` ot the spider. The door 42 has secured to each of its'eiids a block 61 *(Fig.

2) adapted to iit into'the notch -60V ottliev each end Wall of the shell, and the said plate termed with ailange591adaptedto re! ceiveV *within it the adjacent end portions of Y the niandrels, thefsaid flange 59 Ybeing inter 'i plate 53 to retain` the last mounted mandrel p' 52Within the notches 56 ofthe spider.V

canizing tank 10-and inthe air .lock tube 28 the tank and the tube are connected. by a bypass. pipe 62 providedjvvith a stop valve 63 and a similar by-pass pipe` 64 and stoppvalve 65' vare provided for making .Y and breaking communication'between the vulcanizing tank 10 andthe air lock tube29. For releasing `fluid pressure Within the air lock tubet28N the said tube is providednvvith a vent pipe '66 p controlled by a stop valvev 67, anda similar Y vent pipe 68 and stop valve69 are provided for the air lock tube`29. Y j l Y 1 f In the operation of the apparatus Lthe turf For equalizing fluid pressures in the vul;

ret Y11 isrotated at intervalsV to bring the pairsoi rails 13 inY succession into alignment with the air lock tubes 28, 29, the screw lock 51 of the adjacent car 40 thus being brought into mesh with the screw shaft 34. 'fhe valve 31 of the tube 28 beingopen'and its" valve 30 being closed, While the valve'A 30 oftheitube 29 is open and its valve 31 closed, 12ev x the screw shaft is rotatedto drive a car of stock from the table 36 into the Vair lock tube 28 and at 'the saine ,time drive the car; of vvulcanized stock i'rointhe vulcanizei 10 into the air lock-tube 29. The shaft( is thevalve-30 ofthe tube-,29 closedand` its valve`r 31 opened, after vvvhichthe shaft is again rotated to passthe carof unvulcanzedtoskffrom thetub 28 ntofthvulf then stoppedl VWhilethe valve 31 of the ytuheulU 28V is closed audits valve 30'opened, and v Aio canizer and to pass the car oi vulcanized stock from the tube 29 onto the table 37. Pressures are of course equalized through the pipe 62 -or 64: before the opening ot the adjacent gate valve 30. Each valve 3l is opened only when the adjacent valve 30 is closed, and the air lock tube, 28 or 29, is vented by means ot the pipe 66 or 68 before the valve 31 is opened.

The procedure described being repeated at determinate intervals With successive batches of the articles to be vulcanized, the batches are carried in procession into and out of the Water 24e and are thus vulcanized in overlapping periods, several of the cars being at all times submerged in the water. The articles may be allowed to remain in the vulcanizer above the Water level for a sufficient time to be softened by the steam and they then may be quickly plunged into rlhe the Water by rotation of the turret. Water may be kept under such pressure as may be desired, preferably by the. injection of air througl'r the pipe 27 if a pressure higher than the temperature pressure is desired. Only a small amount of steam, or mixture ot' air and steam, is discharged 'from the vulcanizer at each operation ol' the air lock tubes 28, 29. As the Water is kept con stantly in the saine tank radiation ol heat may be kept low, as compared with passing the Water through a pipe to another container between vulcanizing operations.

My invention renders unnecessary the rapid heating of the Water at intervals, as by bubbling steam into it, since the water, rei'naining in the same position, may be continuously heated and thus kept at a substair tially even temperature by simple heating means such as the steam coil shown.

`Various modiiications are possible Within the scope of my invention and I do not wholly limit my claims to the speciiic procedure or construction described.

l claim: l. The method of treating articles With a liquid. Which comprises passing them through a gas lock into a liquid-containing successive articles are passed in procession and Without reversal or movement through a determinate path 1n a continuous operation.

3. The method of vulcanizing rubber articles which comprises passing them through a steam lock into a vulcanizer, there submerging them in Water at a temperature above 'the normal boiling point, lifting them trom the Water, and passing tliem, through a steam lock, out of the chamber, While maintaining the water super-atmospheric pressure.

1l. A method as defined in claim?) in which the articles are so carried in groups into and out of the Water that the iirst articles ot the group to enter the Water are also the iirst to leave it.

5. Apparatus for treating articles with a liquid, lthe said apparatus comprising` a liquid-containing chamber, a liquid in said chamber, and a gas lock, above the level of the liquid in the chamber, for passing articles into and out of the chamber.

Appparatus as deiined in claim 5 in cluding means in the chamber for lowering and raising the articles to submerge them in the liquid and to litt them therefrom.

Y. Vulcaniaing apparatus comprising a vulcaniaing tank, a body of Water therein, the tank heilig or such relative 'depth as to permit lowering and raising ol the articles to be vulcanized therein through such range of movement completely to subn'ierge the articles in the Water and to support them in the tank above the level ofi' the Water, means having a part in said tank for so lowering and raising the articles, means for heating the water, and steam lock means for passing the articles trom the outer atmosphere into the Water and vice versa While maintaining the water at super-atmospheric pressure.

8. Vulcanizing apparatus comprising a vulcanizing chamber, Water in said chamber oi such depth as completely to submerge articles to be vulcanized, lock means for passing the articles into `and out oi' the chamber While maintaining the Water at superatmos pliericpressure, and means iior so applying heat to the vvater in the chamber as to maintain it at vulcaniaing temperature during the passing oli a succession oi articles into and out or the chamber.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in cluding a turret in the chamber for' submerging in and lifting from the Water successive articles to be vulcanized.

in Witness whereof l have hereunto `set my hand this 23rd day of June, 1926.

JAMES D. TEW.

Cri 

